Rev. DAVID O. JONES, Minister, was born in Winnipeg. Since his Ordination David has served congregations in Alberta and Durham, Ontario. He has a Law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a life-long enthusiasm for history. As well as serving as Board Chair of the Old Hay Bay Church (a National Historic Site of Canada), David is also on the Church Extension Council and the Board of Trafalgar Castle School.

DAVID KAI, Minister, grew up attending the Centennial-Japanese United Church in Toronto where he later served as music director. Commissioned as a diaconal minister in 1987, he has served churches in Birtle, Manitoba and Orleans, Ontario before coming to Pickering Village United Church in 2001. David is a graduate of the Centre for Christian Studies, the University of Toronto, and the Humber College music program. David was a member of the committee that produced Voices United, and has written hymn tunes and arrangements in collaboration with many different authors and composers. David and spouse Marly Bown have three daughters.

For more information about David Kai's music, click here.

SHIRLEY GUPPY, parish nurse, has an extensive background as a registered nurse, including working in large teaching hospitals in Montreal, a village hospital in Rhodesia, and finally at the Ajax & Pickering Health Centre, where she retired in 2000 as the Nursing Director of the Intensive Care Unit and the Surgical Suites.

For the past serveral years Shirley has worked with several churches and community organizations as a Parish Nurse.

In May 2005 Shirley travelled with fellow nurse Suzanne Blake, to work as a volunteer for one month at the Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe.

ANNE MIZEN, Music Director, attended the University of Toronto where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Education degree. She studied piano, music theory and history, and vocal music at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto, where she studied with pianist, Antonin Kubalek. She has been a church organist and choir director for many years. She also conducts a women's choir, The Monday Morning Singers www.mmsingers.org  Anne is also a published composer and has written many compositions for choirs.

RUTH FOX, Secretary, was born in Brantford, Ontario and grew up attending Wellington Memorial United Church.  She is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and her career background was in the Human Resources field.  Ruth chose to stay at home to raise her two children for 17 years before re-entering the work force as Church Secretary in November 2005.  In this role, she enjoys dealing with many church volunteers, the general public and, of course, the PVUC Staff.  Ruth joined Pickering Village United Church in 1990 and is currently a member of the UCW.

 MARLY BOWN, Youth Minister

Marly grew up in Newfoundland and studied Sociology at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. Like spouse David Kai, she is a graduate of the Centre for Christian Studies' diploma program, but with a specialty in Youth Ministry. Marly worked as a minister in Birtle, Manitoba before staying at home with the children.

Marly has been helping with our high school youth programs for many years, and more recently with the Bay of Quinte Conference's youth ministries. She now joins the PVUC staff in a contract position. as Youth Minister and also Sunday School Facilitator. Marly and David have three daughters, with the newest addition being Midori, the Boston Terrier.